


What It Means to Be a King

by QueenSly



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Blood Kink, Blood and Violence, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Male Slash, Rape/Non-con Elements, Vampire Hunters, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:08:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24097837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenSly/pseuds/QueenSly
Summary: As an aftermath of his uncle’s decade-long grooming and psychological manipulation, Kaname has become a callous sovereign with a ravenous appetite for greater power and control. His sister’s efforts to reform him prove unavailing, so she turns to his childhood sweetheart as a last resort – Zero Kiryuu.(Multi-chapter, m/m slash fic.)
Relationships: Kiryuu Zero/Kuran Kaname
Kudos: 114





	What It Means to Be a King

**Author's Note:**

> This is my crack at a long, multi-chapter fiction.
> 
> “The happy couple who frolicked over the hill and into the sunset” is not this kind of story. It's grim, dark and has elements of emotional abuse.
> 
> Hopefully, you will stick around though.
> 
> Enjoy.

* * *

**_“_ ** **_A true King must sever himself from those that make him vulnerable.”_ **

Nothing bored Kaname quite like his council’s perpetual meetings and incessant need to summon him over frivolous matters, that they are – in all honesty, hired to be capable of handling on their own.

At length he returned to his estate for much-needed solitary, only to have but ten minutes of silence before his sister barged through his study’s doors, carting several thick binders in her arms that she unceremoniously dropped on his desk.

“Here’s the guest list for tonight, categorized by class status _and_ in alphabetical order” Yuuki proudly informed as she brushed sweat slick wisps of her hair from her face. “And just so you know, I have been breaking my back finishing all the preparations while _you_ have been sitting on your behind all day, brother.” 

Kaname pushed the tower of binders to one side of his desk with a small frown, “On the contrary, I had but a moment to enjoy ‘ _sitting on my behind’_ before you invited yourself in. Like it or not, you oversee all preparations after you voluntarily assigned yourself to that role – rather enthusiastically, I might add.”  
  


“Well, yeah!” There is a mix of surprise and offense in Yuuki’s visage, “This isn’t just some boring socialite gathering we host every year, you know. My big brother is going to be married soon! That’s a big deal!”

“Interesting” Kaname remarked as he reclined in his chair, “Just the other day, you carried on fervently about how I should not wed, and that I ‘must find my soulmate’ before considering the notion of long-term commitment. I am not sure I believe this sudden change of heart.” He then asked skeptically, “What is it that you are up to, Yuuki?”

Her lips curved into an impish grin, she then lilted, “Oh nothing.”

Satisfied with the displeased look she received in return, she got up from her seat to take her leave. Before she closed the door behind her however, she made sure to sneak in a tiny parting message.

“I should probably mention I invited an old friend.”

* * *

The Victorian palace illuminated amid the dark, vast open fields as the many cars began to file in front of the gate entrance.

Two invitation collectors were in booths on either side of the gate, allowing individual cars to pass after checking the authenticity of their invitations, and before this, the field guards did a mandatory search for firearms and weapons, resulting in a tedious check-in process.

Media was not shy while congregating outside the gates and around the vehicles, taking copious pictures of all the celebrities and prominent figures that were attending the soirée held by the Pureblood Vampire King. Despite security being relatively heavy for tonight’s event, the vultures will swarm where they can find a good meal ticket for their magazines and news articles.

Zero was far down the line, too much for even a moderately patient person to handle. Additionally, paparazzi were swarming his vehicle and chipping at his composure with their camera lights flashing in his face.

This has been going on for over an hour.

“Damn. This place is packed like a stadium” Kaito mused in the passenger seat, “How the hell are we supposed to do what we’re being paid for if we don’t get in there before the party’s over?”

“No idea” Zero drawled. He then looked in his front mirror to peek at the two occupants in the backseats of his car, “Should I even ask how it’s going back there?”

Hanabusa was eating up the attention and bestowing different angles of his face for the paparazzi to photo capture. Sitting beside him was an exasperated Ruka, wearing a visage that embodied disgust.

“Just do something about this imbecilic before I do” Ruka muttered, and Hanabusa was too absorbed in felicity to care.

Zero rubbed his temples as he tried to devise a plan, that’s when he belatedly remembered that he personally knew the co-host of the party – Yuuki Kuran. They were friends, or used to be anyway. There was a strong possibility that she could bypass them from the security check.

Zero retrieved his phone and was ready to phone Yuuki when the sound of knocking beat against the glass of his window. Zero was ready to turn his head and flip off the audacious reporter for touching his car, but instead found two guards clad in black suits standing abreast of each other.

Zero lowered his window.

“Sorry to interrupt you, sir. But Lady Yuuki has requested your presence.” The man spoke first, then flicked a glance at the remaining three passengers, “.. _Alone_.”

“Seriously?” Kaito scowled, then grabbed Zero by his arm before the other had a chance to think about leaving, “I sure as hell hope that you intend on convincing _Lady_ Yuuki to get us in there.”

Zero nodded under Kaito’s hardened stare. At length, his friend let go when he was certain that Zero understood where his level of patience was at and how long he was willing to kindly sit there for.

* * *

Reaching the palace’s foyer was a challenge through the sea of reporters and paparazzi who were chasing behind Zero and the two other guards that were escorting him inside.

They ascended to the second floor at length and traveled through an interminable corridor, taking several turns until they reached their destination in front of two decorative-carved wooden doors.

The guard knocked, “Lady Yuuki. Mr. Kiryuu has arrived.”

Zero could hear the distinctive and rapid clicking of heels before the doors opened and its source flung to him in an unexpected embrace.

“Zero! It’s been so long!” Yuuki squealed with exuberance as she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside, then promptly shut the doors behind them.

Zero allowed himself a moment to take in the appearance of the familiar girl standing in front of him, after all it has been many years since he has seen her in person.

The cute, small brunette he once knew had blossomed into a prepossessing woman, and her hair was much longer now with tresses of chestnut cascading over her delicate frame. 

“Well you turned out to be quite the stunner” Yuuki marveled at him, “I’ll fix us a drink and then we can talk about why I asked to speak with you. You can take any seat you like.”

Zero nodded and looked around while she prepared their beverages. It soon dawned on him that he is in her bedchambers, and it looked a lot different than it had years ago. It was now fit for a queen, rather than a small princess.

In the center of the room is an extravagant canopy bed with white lace curtains, a golden frame and a tufted headboard. At the left of the room facing the doors is an old French rococo vanity set with an assortment of perfumes, as well as makeup and brushes.

Zero decided on one of the two armchairs nearby. Yuuki soon joined him in the other seat after handing him a glass of red wine.

“Before you ask, it’s not blood wine” Yuuki watched with humor when Zero sniffed it curiously, “Do you remember when we were kids and we snuck into my uncle’s wine cellar?”

Zero chuckled at the old memory. He remembered even to this day of the blood wine’s pungent taste of copper. Being a naïve teenager that he was, he kept drinking it even though his stomach was doing flips in protest. It was a recipe for disaster to a Human’s body, and he paid the price with his face hung over the toilet.

“Yeah, I remember how stupid that was” Zero mused, “Thankfully, Kaname smoothed things over with your uncle who was flipping his shit over having a drunk human puking on his _pristine_ floors.”

“He was quite the nurse too.” Yuuki remarked with a wavering smile, “I remember Kaname stayed at your side that entire night to be sure you were okay. Of course.. that was before he had changed.”

Zero frowned, “What do you mean by changed?”

“When I sent the request in with the Vampire Hunter Association for added security for tonight’s party, I specifically made sure the president would task you with the job. I admit that I have an ulterior motive.”

She went on to explain, "The manipulation that my uncle did to my brother for years has made him callous with an unquenchable thirst for control and power. My uncle – the despicable man that he is, molded my brother into a replica of himself.”

That last part twisted something painfully in Zero’s chest.

“I was hoping that when he sees you tonight that he will remember his former self, you know? You still are the only _real_ relationship he has had since then as my uncle was sure to isolate my brother from anyone who threatened to derail him from the path he intended, even after death.”

It was heart wrenching for Zero to learn of Rido essentially puppeteering of his own nephew, but what Yuuki is hoping will cut the strings was doubtful.

“Yuuki, I want to help.. honestly" he said, "But I don’t think me showing up out of the blue is going to suddenly reverse twelve years of psychological damage.”

“It’s a start though, right?” Yuuki's was starry-eyed. “You both loved each other – _and_ were each other’s first kiss! Surely that has to remind him of what was formally important to him.”

Zero’s cheeks burned red at that, “That was when we were kids, Yuuki. I don’t think we even knew what love was back then. I do care about him, but..”

“But?” Yuuki smiled knowingly. “You can’t lie to me, mister. You’re still carrying Bloody Rose and that speaks for itself.”

“W-what!” Zero was almost sure his face was on fire right now when he understood where she was getting at, “I can keep a memento, you know?” He tried to defend himself with any excuse he could think of in that moment, “Besides, I know the extent of power in this weapon. It’s not like I can risk allowing it to fall in someone else’s hands..”

Yuuki shook her head, “That’s not possible. Bloody Rose is an exclusive weapon because it was forged in Kaname’s blood. The only person who can wield it is the one he bestowed it to. This was something of an old romantic gesture between a Pureblood Vampire and a Hunter – and, its continued use is determined by the existence of feelings between said Vampire and Hunter, if they should remain.”

She added, “You both still care about each other the same as you did when he forged the weapon for you. If that were not true, Bloody Rose would be eating a hole through your jacket right now and anyone who touches it will experience the same effect regardless. You are forever Bloody Rose's sole owner."

Zero was nonplussed by the newfound information regarding Bloody Rose, but it was so absurd that he was having a hard time believing it was real.

Yuuki picked up on this. “If you don’t believe me, then allow me touch Bloody Rose so that I can demonstrate” Yuuki curled a finger at him, “Just for a second.”

Zero reached for his gun that was concealed beneath his jacket in its chest holster. “If what you say is true, won't this hurt you?”

“I’m not asking you to shoot me with it, Zero. Come on, I’ll be fine – ready?”

Zero presented his gun and attentively watched as Yuuki clasped a hand around the barrel of it while he held the grip.

Blood promptly began oozing from underneath her hand and dripping from her digits. Not long after, thorny vines sprouted from the gun’s metal and coiled around her hand.

He was stupefied – how could this be real, and how is he only finding this out now? His gun has a consciousness and is dependent on emotions, exclusively his and Kaname’s.

A waft a burning flesh soon followed and permeated inside the room. Zero was about to pull the gun away before he realized it would be impossible with the vines entrapping her hand.

Yuuki loosened her grip at length, and vines had fortunately done the same and retracted into the gun when the threat of removal from its master was no longer.

She splayed open her hand to present Zero her ghastly flesh wound; The gun had nearly seared past the muscle to the bone.

“What the hell, Yuuki!” Zero berated her once he was over being horrified, “That was way longer than a second, you idiot. What the fuck were you thinking!”

Yuuki silently watched as Zero promptly got up from his seat and found the adjoined bathroom to retrieve medical supplies.

He came out and knelt before her, instructing her coolly, “Extend your arm toward me so I can dress your wound.”

She thought better than to remind him that she was a Pureblood and that his gesture was endearing, but unnecessary, so she did as he requested to placate him.

“I’m sorry” Yuuki said meekly as she watched him gingerly swathing her hand over with gauze after he applied the antiseptic. “It was selfish of me to ask this of you.”

“I know” Zero said before he cut the end of the cloth, “I’m just relieved that I never allowed Bloody Rose to leave my person, and safely locked her away if I couldn’t otherwise. It’s a good thing you showed me, but I’m still kind of pissed at you.”

Yuuki's eyes downcast while Zero completed the dressing.

“And it’s not because you’re an idiot and did that. It’s because..

You opened an old wound.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like it so far! Truthfully, I am still trying to improve my writing and storytelling. This is a work in progress, so if you enjoyed is so far then any feedback or a simple kudo will let me know if I should continue with this.
> 
> The next chapter is when things get more interesting.


End file.
